Recent changes in the child welfare system: One state's experience

•From 2005 to 2010 there was a reduction in the number of children in foster care.•Federal policy has shifted from child centered to family centered.•We need to effectively support at risk families so that children are safe at home.

Nationwide over the past 5 years there has been a substantial reduction in the number of children involved with the child welfare system entering out-of-home care as well as a reduction in the lengths of stay among those who do enter the system. This article compares national data on children entering out-of-home care and the length of stay with data from Florida over a 7-year period (2005–2011). Findings are shared on the strategies and services that stakeholders in one state reported as contributing to preventing out-of-home placements and reducing lengths of stay in residential settings. Federal policies such as IV-E Waivers that support this reduction also are discussed. The article concludes with policy and research recommendations regarding how to sustain this reduction while ensuring that child safety and well-being are preserved.